Coffee Review: 35 North Coffee Co. Sumatra Organic

Kim and I were recently on a nice vacation, visiting family and friends, enjoying some good conversations and sights, and tasting some good food and coffee. One of the things we got to do was be part of a bbq/picnic on a cool Saturday afternoon. No need to wonder, I did take a couple of different coffees and brewers so that I could make good coffee for everyone to try. One of the coffees we shared was a Sumatra Organic dark roast from 35 North Coffee Co. (www.35northcoffeeco.com).

Of the coffees we shared at the bbq this was the sure favorite. They put the roast date on the bag, something that I appreciate, and we brewed this coffee in its prime flavor time. I passed the bag around so everyone could smell the aroma from the beans. Those who were in the kitchen area with me got to smell the aroma from the fresh ground beans also. Everyone appreciated the good fresh aroma.

First up was the auto drip and there were some high expectations from some of the coffee drinkers. We were not disappointed because this Sumatra has a deep roast flavor that is somewhat fruity and sweet. It was not over roasted at all and has a little bit of a tart aftertaste. One person who is not a coffee drinker tried it and said that if they were going to drink coffee this would be the one.

I also took my Chemex coffee maker and Clever Coffee Dripper for folks to try the taste of different brewers. Neither brewer disappointed any coffee drinker. The CCD produced a somewhat deeper roasted flavor with a fuller body. The Chemex produced a clean, smooth, mildly tart flavor. One person thought they tasted a bit of Concord grape.

Times like these have become pretty fun for us. We enjoy the conversations about the coffees and brewers. I try to ask questions and let people talk. People are finding out how easy it is to grind whole beans and brew a good cup of coffee. We are getting good feedback about people going out and buying specialty ground coffee or buying grinders and whole beans.

Kim has also been using our coffee drinking time to try pairing the coffee with different foods or flavors. She thought this coffee paired well with both chocolate and vanilla. She thought it paired very well with lemon and that the lemon helped increase the brightness of the coffee. We could say that this was a very enjoyable cup of coffee. If you would like to try a dark roast coffee we highly recommend this one. We received this coffee for free and offer an objective review.

What may be even better than the good coffee from 35 North Coffee Co. is their involvement in the Baby Safe (www.thebabysafe.org) program. They have this to say on the back of the bag; “We’re not only passionate about seriously good coffee. We want to help others. That’s why a portion of our net proceeds go directly to Baby Safe, an organization helping abandoned children and at risk mothers in South Africa.” The following comes from their website, “It is our aim is to advocate for a voiceless generation of children within South Africa, both the born and unborn. We seek to rescue the unwanted and abandoned baby, offer support and hope to the pregnant mother in crisis, and empower and equip the new mother in need. Baby Safe is committed to offering life, hope, and options as an expression of Jesus’ desire to intervene on behalf of the helpless and we are devoted to seeing God supremely glorified through our mission.

Here is another example of coffee roasters not only producing good coffee, but also trying to help improve the quality of life for others; in this case, children and mothers. We would encourage you to check them out. Until the next time, remember to stop and enjoy the coffee and conversations.